Telling the Truth (Michael)

TNKR BIRTHDAY FUNDRAISER

It may be a little early to be contemplating the end game but at sixty six years old, surely it can be seen from here. It is a point where, when looking back at the accumulation of events and experiences a pattern begins to emerge. The reality is that I can only live in one day at a time and that day is this today. The real question is how to use this one day to its fullest while moving into the future. It is not clear how many years remain to me, but of course it was never clear in the first place. From now, I'll set my sights on the highest star and see how close I can get to it.

One way that totalitarian governments control their population is by controlling what they say. Telling the truth is the enemy of totalitarianism and the lie is its fervent supporter.

As a volunteer English teacher and speech coach for TNKR (Teach North Korean Refugees) I've found a great deal of meaning in my life for this very reason. TNKR is an NGO headquartered in Seoul that was founded to give a voice to North Korean refugees that have escaped and now live in South Korea. TNKR matches teachers with refugees for one-on-one tutoring in English.

Most meaningful for me are the English Language Speech Contests that TNKR holds twice a year. At each contest seven to ten refugees stand up in front of an audience and give a ten minute speech entirely in English. They talk about their lives in the north, their escapes, and their hopes and dreams for their futures. On August 30th, TNKR will hold its eleventh speech contest.

TNKR is a volunteer and donation driven organization. In order to continue, we need your help. June 28th is my birthday so it is a good time to ask. If you are concerned with telling the truth about North Korea here is your chance to get involved. You could donate at this time or better yet, pledge to donate an amount you can afford on a monthly basis.

Thank you so much,

www.michaelpdowneyauthor.com

Are you looking for more meaning in your life?

The antidote to suffering is meaning.
Jordan B. Peterson

How can you find more meaning in your life?

Pick up the heaviest burden (responsibility) that you can bear.
Jordan B. Peterson

Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
Jordan B. Peterson

Here is an opportunity to do something meaningful. Let me suggest becoming a TNKR (Teach North Korean Refugees) activist.

https://youtu.be/se0cSU4uyhs

TNKR is a NGO headquartered in Seoul and active internationally giving a voice to refugees from North Korea. Founded in 2013 by Casey Lartigue and Eunkoo Lee, TNKR has matched almost four hundred refugees with volunteer English tutors giving them the chance to improve their lives.

In addition, TNKR sponsors speech contests twice a year; coaching refugees and allowing them to gain the English skills to tell their own stories though public speaking and writing.

TNKR also has a Book Club that sponsors meetings with authors and discussions about books written by refugees. Recently the Book Club has featured Jang Jin-sung author of Dear Leader, Kang Cheol-Hwan author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang, Eunhee Park, YouTube speaker on ‘The Joy of Freedom’, and author/activist Ken Eom.

TNKR’s next project is ‘Information Into North Korea’. Refugees often tell us that what made the biggest difference in their lives while still in North Korea was to get real information about life outside. We are looking to make a difference in the lives of even more people still living under tyranny. Let's flood North Korea with the truth.

Sound good? All it takes funding. TNKR operates as a NGO on only the small donations from generous supporters. Month by month we operate on a shoestring not knowing if we can survive another month let alone expand this vital work. More than anything we need a more stable financial base.

That's where you come in. You can become a sustaining member of TNKR when you pledge to donate what you can afford on a monthly basis. This would go a long way to boosting TNKR’s ability to continue to assist the growing refugee community.

Today I'm looking twelve people that want to get involved, become activists, and pledge to donate at least ten dollars a month to helping North Korean refugees.

Yup, everyone needs money and it is a burden. Every donation is appreciated but by becoming a sustaining member of TNKR you will become an activist in this great work. Please pledge your ongoing financial support by following this link and making your pledge.